AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini are reshaping software development – and the developers who know how to use them are leaving everyone else behind. From writing clean, working code to hunting down bugs, generating test cases, documenting complex logic, and translating between programming languages: the tasks that once devoured hours of your day now take minutes.
This book gives you the practical skills to work at that level. Through concrete examples and proven techniques, you will master the art of prompting: getting AI tools to do exactly what you need, reliably and consistently. Whether you program professionally or for fun, as a beginner or a seasoned developer – you will finish this book faster, sharper, and noticeably more productive at the keyboard. You will also learn to build your own AI-powered applications using the OpenAI API.

This book is a translation of the original German edition Programmieren mit ChatGPT, 1st edition, by Joachim Zuckarelli, published by Springer-Verlag GmbH, DE in 2025. The translation was done with the help of an artificial intelligence machine translation tool. The translation underwent a comprehensive revision, addressing both the content and language.

Joachim Zuckarelli studied economics at the University of Mannheim. After positions in management consulting and the laboratory industry, he now heads the business intelligence department of a veterinary medicine company and works as an author and lecturer. Professionally, he regularly uses ChatGPT and Codex for programming tasks. He lives and works in Munich, Germany.